On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

One Hundred And Forty-Eight

We marched through the Boundary, the quiet sounds of Tillyae’s musicians surrounding us, calling on the wind to mask our presence, muting the sounds we gave off and distorting the air around us, making us harder to see. The route we had taken to arrive at the back of the enemy Territory was quite circuitous, taking us through uncharted parts of the Boundary, and while we had come across hostile natives, they had been quickly put down by our host, earning us ether, which we used some of to make sure we were fully topped up with aether, ready to fight.

“It’s nice to have music, right?” I asked. The sounds were classical in nature, although rather… well, Fae, for want of a better word.

“Indeed, I do appreciate it.” Shaeula agreed. “It reminds me of home, the Seelie court. However….” She paused, grinning. “I do-do think it would be nice to perform some of my favourite mortal songs. That theme from my anime would be-be quite splendid…”

The thought of a group of weaselkin musicians playing the opening to a magical girl anime was quite the amusing one, in response I reached out and patted her head, and Shaeula leaned into it, making happy noises. Ixitt burst out in hacking laughter at the scene, while Ulfuric merely raised one brow.

“You seem in good humour, princess.” He observed.

“And why would I not-not be?” She answered. “I am closer to Akio than ever, I have made peace with Eri and come-come to an arrangement. I even had the pleasure of seeing my idiot brother again. Though should his attitude to Akio not-not improve, I shall have no-no hesitation in punishing him. That reminds me…” her gaze was steely, her amber eyes hard. “I would ask your assistance, master Ulfuric. When time comes-comes to convince my father to accept my marriage, I would ask your support. We have three moons to show our strength, and I believe together we can-can do it.”

“I fear I must reserve judgement on that, princess.” Ulfuric shook his head. “Before I could endorse your choice of consort, I shall need to see his true character. Still, so far I am not displeased.”

“I guess I’ll have to step up then. Because there is no way I’m ever giving up on Shaeula now.” as she blushed at my comment, I turned my attention to the near-invisible wall of the enemy Territory that was some few hundred metres distant from us. “And to make a start, we need to make sure our Territory is safe from all threats. Are we ready?”

“Indeed.” Shaeula was pumped up. “Grulgor and his trolls are useful for causing trouble and not dying, if-if nothing else.”

I notice she’s been a bit nicer to Grulgor ever since he stuck up for her against Ulfuric. It’s good they are getting along, at least a bit…

We hadn’t seen any spectral scouts, so our attack should be unnoticed, at least initially. Ulfuric turned to the weaselkin mages and the Kamaitachi beside them. “Prepare for bombardment. Musicians, play song of the tempest.”

Tillyae waved her conducting stick, and the music changed, swelling, becoming booming and wild. The wind energy around the mages swelled, green light rising from them in wisps. Yeah, musicians seem to be like bards in MMO’s. Buffing and debuffing. Plus they can entertain in times of peace…

“Attack.” Ulfuric ordered, and with that the mages unleashed their blasts of wind, huge bursts of jade energy rocketing forwards, twisting winds making it hard to stand. The impacts splashed against the barrier, detonating with a thunderous roar. The barrier shivered and shrank inwards, while the roads and walls outside the barrier exploded, torn up shards of stone and metal hurled out like shrapnel in all directions.

“Wow, that was something…” I said, my ears ringing. “The barrier can’t take much more of that, I bet.” We had experience with such barriers, and while a Rank Two Territory could withstand several powerful attacks such as Wyrm Breath or Foehn, it would collapse soon enough…

“Continue.” Ulfuric ordered, and after a few minutes to recharge, the bombardment recommenced. This time several shards of wind energy managed to penetrate the quivering barrier, slicing gouges in the streets within.

“Another push should do it. Still… this isn’t subtle.” I remarked, and Shaeula nodded, scanning the Boundary ahead with her mystic eyes.

“They are coming. Those beetle-men. Still, this time we shall not-not be deterred.”

“Shield wall!” Ulfuric growled, and a score of weaselkin warriors in armour formed a barrier in front of us, interlocking their heavy silver and bronze shields. As the beetles came into view, carapaces glittering in bronze and green under the light of the Boundary, I assessed their numbers. More than before. A score or so…

“I see experience points!” Shaeula smiled at me sweetly. Damn, so cute.

The beetles formed up behind the barrier and started returning our attacks, vicious blades of wind sailing towards us. Shaeula merely waved one hand and unleashed her own counter. “Foehn. Your wind shall answer to me!”

Light of various shades of green clashed, the attacks flying in our direction sucked into the gale Shaeula had unleashed. The merged winds then slammed into the barrier, followed by a third barrage from the mages. With a screeching of breaking glass the barrier shattered, wind cascading over the front rank of the beetles, knocking them back, scattering them.

“Musicians, song of defence. Shield wall, advance!” Ulfuric shouted. The music changed again, and the warriors advanced in lockstep, pushing towards the now-open Territory. “Archers, bring them down!”

Arrows were launched in a rain at the beetles, though their wind-reinforced carapaces deflected or shattered most of the incoming flights. Next to us there was a crackle of bright energy, and the head of one beetle exploded.

“Keh-keh-keh. My bolt launcher is no mere bow.” Ixitt boasted, winding a series of cogs to reload a heavy metal spearhead into the clockwork gun.

“I shall not-not be outdone.” Shaeula promised. “Foehn, drain them dry!” her yukata fluttered around her as her wind raced outwards. The carapaces of the beetles were drained, and suddenly arrows started penetrating, several falling. “And burst!” she commanded, the stolen energy detonating as a windy nova, shredding a half-dozen apart. “Ah, I grow stronger at last-last!” Shaeula crowed. “Perhaps soon I shall be able to match you, master Ulfuric.”

“Beware of arrogance, princess. Power gained easily is not mastered, and it is not your power, not truly.”

“It is Akio’s power, therefore it is my power.” Shaeula disagreed, unleashing her wind-weasels, which greedily chomped through carapace, chitin and the flesh beneath, dropping more of the beetles. “Still, I shall remain humble.”

Sure you will. You have many good qualities, but humility isn’t one of them!

Ether was scattering from the corpses, but the Territory was absorbing it. As our troops moved behind the shield wall, bolts of aetheric light began to bombard us. Under reinforcement songs the shields held, though they quickly began to deform under the repeated impacts, staggering the weaselkin who bore them.

“Their Defensive Emplacements are a problem. Shaeula, we are up. Ulfuric, handle the advance.”

Ulfuric barked more orders, moving the forces into defensive positions. Shaeula and I pushed forwards, racing past the last beetles who were blasted apart by mages or sliced into pieces by Kamaitachi. Immediately the Territory resisted us, drawing aether from our bodies slowly. Still, each time we face this, we are stronger.

A bright gleam flickered in the distance and I leapt to one side, picking up Shaeula as I went. The sniper blast tore past us, pulverising stone. More aetheric bolts were showering down on us, and following the direction with my eyes, I spotted some strange, fleshy growths, topped with crystals. Light flickered within, and with a scattering of sludge, rainbow light flared and more bolts flew our way.

“I much prefer our Territory. If all our buildings were so disgusting, I would never-never wish to sit on the Throne.” Shaeula complained. “I shall purge them.” Her weasel-snakes grew once more, this time containing the citrine glow of flame. They surged through the air, and sank fangs of wind and fire into the bulbous, putrid outcroppings. The smell of burned flesh was sickening, but quickly the serpents burrowed within and detonated, flesh igniting and crystals shattering. Ether was scattered, and we closed in, grabbing as much of it as we could.

With the incoming fire now reduced, our forces were entering the area under the barrier. The weaselkin slowed, strength leaving them, their once-smooth and practised march faltering. “Song of resistance!” was the cry, and the effect was mitigated somewhat, although not entirely suppressed.

“We need to keep pushing!” I started to race deeper towards the area that should have held Hisuikomushi shrine. Moments later the heavy tread of many feet was heard, as floods of orcs dozens, no, hundreds, strong began to pour through the streets towards us.

Well, expecting Grulgor and his trolls to distract them over us was always going to be a fantasy long-term. Still, we are in, so I guess he did a good job. And since the barrier is shattered, he might even be rampaging elsewhere…

“Well, try and save your flame. But other than that, let’s go.” I swept the streets in front of us with fine wires of wind, and Shaeula unleashed her pinwheels. Orcs began to fall, and behind us our mages and archers joined in, slaughtering the leaderless orcs. Massive beetles joined them however, the siege-beetles we had encountered before lumbering through the carnage, or clambering over buildings, crushing them underfoot.

One beetle was poised to leap onto us when the ground erupted, sharp spears of stone rippling from the ground and piercing its vulnerable underbelly, viscous fluids gushing free as its own weight forced it onto the spires. It let out a mournful cry and shattered to ether, before Ulfuric joined us, rock bullets spraying into the mass of orcs, easily shattering bones of the lightly armoured ones.

“I grow stronger still.” Shaeula laughed, her pinwheels dazzling as they danced. Using Foehn she robbed the beetles of their protection, and with a damp whine several beetles were dissected. Others fell to the spears and blades of the weaselkin, though not before impaling or crushing some to death.

“We clearly have the advantage, however we are still taking casualties.” Ulfuric warned, and indeed, faint glowing orbs of light were forming around Shaeula, and I could feel the slight drain on my aether from new spirits of fallen kin.

Orc archers had formed up and were engaging with our own archers, only for one squad to literally… explode… as Ixitt unleashed a mist of flammable powders which detonated spectacularly. Body parts rained down around us along with ether. Ixitt then staggered backwards as aether bolts flew his way, other Defensive Emplacements zeroing in on him.

There. I spotted another pair of the disgusting turrets, but before I could say so Ulfuric had ordered the mages to bombard the area, and they were eliminated, leaving behind a massive crater.

You have gained in strength. Your level has increased from thirty-four to thirty-five.

Great, it isn’t just Shaeula who is getting stronger. My spear danced and thrust, far faster than the orcs could respond, and soon we had cut a path through, the whole battle so far only taking minutes. Ulfuric swung his mace, clashing with a sniper bolt, cuts left across his bare arms and face. Even so, he did not let his injuries slow him, still barking orders as our weaselkin rounded up and massacred the remaining orcs.

“The shrine is up ahead!” I observed, only to be forced to dodge a blast of aether, this one discharged by a Defensive Emplacement that looked rather different. It was like a red-brick chimney, only with a silver orb floating above it. Strange. Still, it needs to be destroyed.

Ixitt tossed another batch of explosives and the bricks shattered, spewing ether. As the pillar it was on collapsed, it pulled down a decorated torii gate, making me feel guilty, so I quickly muttered a prayer to the kami of the shrine, hoping for forgiveness. As if my words were denied, a shadow passed over me, and a colossal beetle started descending the steps up to the shrine, crashing through the gates, scattering red, green and gold rubble in its wake. It was accompanied by a half-dozen beetles and beetle-men wearing vestments and carrying strange objects, very reminiscent of…

It's just like Shirohebizumi shrine. Which means… I looked up at the beetle again, noticing the gold studs that were inserted into its chitin, tied with scarlet and jade ribbons. Huge shimenawa ropes were tied across the carapace, and a strange crown adorned the head, bronze metal gleaming.

“Well shit. That’s a kami, right? I’m not down for killing gods…” I muttered, and Shaeula gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. Before we could form a plan of action, something even stranger happened. A ragged, emaciated old man in dirty priest robes poked his head over the shell of the kami, dark eyes desperate. “I don’t know who you are, but you should go. Flee! I don’t want to have to kill you all!”